1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of controlling a network facsimile apparatus which is capable of exchanging data over a local area network and exchanging facsimile data over a publicly switched network in accordance with a facsimile transmission procedure, and which is provided with an address conversion table for storing sub-address information including sub-addresses according to the facsimile transmission procedure and corresponding mail addresses in a way that relates each sub-address to its corresponding mail address so that image information received over the publicly switched network may be transmitted via the local area network to a terminal at the mail address corresponding to the sub-address received from a terminal transmitting the image information. The present invention also relates to a network facsimile apparatus that uses such a method and a local area network system including a network facsimile apparatus that uses such a method.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
With increasing and widespread use of local area networks, a facsimile apparatus connected to a local area network for exchanging data over the local area network has been proposed and is widely used today. Such a facsimile apparatus is called a network facsimile apparatus. The network facsimile apparatus includes an address conversion table for storing sub-address information including sub-addresses according to a facsimile transmission procedure and corresponding mail addresses in the local area network system in a way that relates each sub-address to its corresponding mail address. When the network facsimile apparatus receives image information from a remote terminal over a publicly switched network, if the apparatus receives the sub-address of a destination user, the apparatus retrieves the mail address corresponding to the received sub-address from the address conversion table and transfers the received image information to the terminal at the retrieved mail address via the local area network.
A mail address used in a local area network system is generally used for a relatively long period of time by an individual user and instances may occur in which the mail address is stolen and used by a third party. If a certain mail address is stolen and used by a user other than the legitimate user of the mail address and if a facsimile document destined for the legitimate user of the mail address is received by the network facsimile apparatus over a publicly switched network and is transferred to the terminal at the mail address via the local area network as described above, it may result in the facsimile document being delivered to an unintended recipient, with the intended recipient failing to receive the facsimile document.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved method of controlling the network facsimile apparatus so as to more securely deliver image information received over a publicly switched network to the destined recipient via a local area network and to avoid delivering the received information to an unintended recipient.